Author(s): Carol Birch

Fiction

Combining psychological suspense with elements of the ghost story, Shadow Girls is a literary exploration of girlhood by Man Booker Prize-shortlisted author of Jamrach's Menagerie Manchester, 1960s.

Sally, a cynical 15-year-old schoolgirl, is much too clever for her own good. When partnered with her best friend, Pamela, a mouthy girl who no-one else much likes, Sally finds herself unable to resist the temptation of rebellion. The pair play truant, explore forbidden areas of the old school and their favourite torment posh Sylvia Rose, with her pristine uniform and her beautiful voice that wins every singing prize.

One day, Sally ventures (unauthorised, of course) up to the greenhouse on the roof alone. Or at least she thinks she's alone, until she sees Sylvia on the roof too. Sally hurries downstairs, afraid of Sylvia snitching, but Sylvia appears to be there as well.

Amidst the resurgence of ghost stories and superstition among the girls, a tragedy is about to occur, one that will send Sally more and more down an uncanny rabbit hole...

Praise for Carol Birch-

'A naturally literary writer who can, with a simple image, evoke the deepest emotion' GUARDIAN

'Her prose has an irresistible vigour ... Her words sing on the page' FINANCIAL TIMES

'A beautifully written story of ghosts, loneliness and buried secrets' CHOICE

'Fusing the supernatural with the psychological, Birch's story is, at its heart, a human one' BIG ISSUE